


co-parenting

by tinyjet7



Category: One Piece
Genre: Frottage, Hand Jobs, M/M, Mild Blood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:34:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25867513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinyjet7/pseuds/tinyjet7
Summary: The first time someone says it, it's a joke.
Relationships: Roronoa Zoro/Vinsmoke Sanji
Comments: 7
Kudos: 128





	co-parenting

**Author's Note:**

> in volume 48, chapter 460's sbs, oda says that if they were a family, franky would be the dad and robin would be the mom. i read this and immediately said no, that's not right.

The first time someone says it, it's a joke. It's a nice day, and Sanji is just finishing up an afternoon snack for the crew. So when the door is slammed open, he doesn't even flinch.

"Mom, we're hungry!" Usopp announces, Luffy and Chopper in tow and the three of them giggling like mad. Sanji only rolls his eyes and gestures to the bowl of freshly cut fruit on the counter. Usopp says plenty of shit, he thinks, and arguing over every little thing to come out of the sniper's mouth is a fool's errand.

"Thanks, Mom," the three of them call as the door swings shut behind them. Sanji grumbles a little but in the end, he decides to pay it no mind. Instead, he arranges a tray with two fruit parfaits and two glasses of juice and makes his way after them.

Most of the crew is sprawled out on the deck, enjoying the sun. They're just leaving a summer island, and the good weather isn't guaranteed to last. For now, a light breeze pushes them through the waves. Usopp, Chopper and Luffy are crowded around their bowl, sitting near the figurehead of the Thousand Sunny. Below them, Brook scratches out note after note, composing on his violin. Franky is nowhere to be seen, probably holed up below deck, tinkering. Zoro is asleep, sprawled out and snoring in the sun. And if he turns around, he knows Nami and Robin will be sitting under the shade of Nami's tangerine trees.

He— well, he wouldn't say he prances, but it's a near thing, and offers the contents of his tray to the ladies.

"Thanks, Mom," Nami says slyly, and Robin's accompanying smirk may as well have been full-bellied laughter.

"You heard that?" Sanji moans dramatically. The girls wave him off with a chuckle.

Soon, it's a commonplace occurence. Choruses of "thanks, Mom" accompany every meal. Franky brings him a coat one night before they trade watches and says, "Don't want you to freeze out here, Ma."

After a check-up, Chopper insists, "You need to get more rest, Mom."

Even Robin lets it slip with a, "good night, Mom," as she makes her way towards the women's quarters for the night.

The only one who doesn't seem to notice is Zoro.

Not that it matters to Sanji. Not that Sanji has even noticed, really. No, he'd much rather ignore the moss-headed idiot altogether. And honestly? Sanji is secretly flattered. It fills his chest with warmth and contentment to know that these people — his crewmates — consider him family, too. Besides, it's just another name, like how Zoro calls him "cook" (amongst other things) and the posters call him "Black-Leg."

* * *

"If Sanji is 'Mom,' who is 'Dad?'" Usopp asks, out of the blue, a week later. He and Luffy are sitting at the table in the galley, waiting for Sanji to finish lunch.

Sanji chokes. Neither Luffy nor Usopp notice, too engrossed in thought for once.

"What's having a dad supposed to be like?" Luffy asks, and Sanji feels his heart break for his captain. A lot of the crew doesn't have much experience with good parental figures. But before he can continue that line of thought, Usopp hums thoughtfully.

"Dads are supposed to be strong, right?" he starts hesitantly. "They protect the family. And provide. Like hunting and stuff."

"That could be any of us," Luffy complains. "What else?"

Usopp sneaks a quick glance at Sanji, and Sanji knows he is not going to like the next words out of his mouth. "Well, we've always said that Sanji and Zoro argue like a married couple..."

"All right, you lazy asses, get out of my kitchen," Sanji says threateningly, waving his spatula at them. They dash out of the galley, smothering giggles behind their hands.

But of course, the conversation continues.

Over dinner, Usopp makes a (loud) comment about how Zoro happened to be the one who caught the fish they were eating, meaningfully not looking at Sanji. Luffy nods sagely.

"Zoro caught that huge tiger at the last island," he adds with a grin. "Sanji had to find him after, but the meat lasted a while."

Sanji ignores them, and he definitely does not glance down the table to see if Zoro is listening.

"Zoro is quite strong, isn't he?" Robin says teasingly. Sanji sighs.

* * *

If Zoro hears first Usopp and Luffy, then the rest of the crew, calling him "Dad," he doesn't comment. It's hard to tell if he even notices, with the extra training he's putting in. But now that it starts, Sanji finds it hard not to think about it.

It's not like they aren't compatible, in battle if nothing else. They weave around each other on the battlefield, a certain trust borne of countless battles at each other's backs. But at home on the Sunny, that chemistry between them becomes an explosion neither of them can control.

The more he thinks about it, the more confused he gets. And the more confused he gets, the more his irritation with Zoro grows. Zoro takes to watching with his one good eye, his glance dragging slow like honey as Sanji stomps around the deck, snapping at anyone who happens to get in his way.

It comes to a head two days later,when Zoro plants himself firmly against the galley door and goes to sleep.

"Get the fuck out of my way."

Zoro is immediately alert, and Sanji hates the predatory gleam in his eye as it travels upward, slow and hungry. So he kicks the swordsman, trying to shove him away from the door instead.

"No," Zoro says, immovable and calm. "You've got a problem, shit cook? Let's hear it."

But Sanji can't find the words, doesn't know how to explain himself. He'd always been better speaking with action, anyways. 

Zoro watches him, like a hunter watching his prey, as he relaxes into a looser stance.

They're careful but there's something hot and angry in Sanji's chest as they circle each other. They come together in a clash of fire and steel, only to break apart. One kick, two, dulled steel raised to push him back and strike in turn.

Sanji is sick of this, sick of feeling unbalanced whenever he so much as glances at Zoro, and then the flat of a blade catches him in the face. He feels his lip split and smiles a bloody, humorless grin.

"Losing your touch?" Zoro sneers.

"You wish, you piece of shit," Sanji snarls back, launching himself forward to kick Zoro in the chest when they come together again. He drops to a crouch, ready to launch Zoro into the air when another voice cuts through the haze of adrenaline.

"That's enough, you two," Nami says sharply. Chopper takes the opportunity to rush between them, ushering Sanji away and tugging at his shirt to bring him lower and get a better look at the bruise forming on his jaw.

"Yeah, Mom and Dad shouldn't fight," Usopp pipes up. He wilts immediately at Sanji's withering glare. "Sorry."

"Thank you, Chopper," Sanji says, more calmly than he feels. "I'm fine, just a little bruised."

"A-are you sure?" The reindeer asks, glancing uncertainly between Sanji and Zoro. Sanji nods and manages what he hopes is a comforting smile. "Well, you should put some ice, at least, for the swelling."

Sanji nods again, standing and dusting himself off before heading to the galley. He doesn't look at Chopper, applying some burn salve where he broke past Zoro's defenses. 

He grabs an ice pack from the freezer and throws himself into a chair, slouching low and wincing at the cold on his jaw. Cradling the ice pack between his jaw and shoulder, he pulls a cigarette out of the pack in his pocket and lights it up.

"Sanji." The cook takes a deep inhale, letting the smoke curl in his lungs before he looks up. Zoro is shutting the door behind him.

"Listen," he exhales, letting the smoke hide him. He doesn't get to finish because Zoro takes three long strides, puts his hands carefully, gently around his face and kisses him chastely. Several things click into place as Zoro pulls away, embarrassed, to pick up Sanji's ice pack. The banked heat and hunger in his eyes when Sanji happened to catch his eye. The extra training that started up when they left the last island — when the nicknames started. He stubs out his cigarette against the heel of his shoe. "Oh."

"Look, you don't gotta—" Zoro starts, face flushed, and Sanji can't help the hungry noise he makes when he grabs Zoro's shirt to pull him down into another kiss.

This time, it's more of a clash of teeth than a kiss. When Zoro pulls away, he looks dazed. His tongue darts out, tasting Sanji's blood on his lips. "Wait."

And Sanji does. He lets Zoro collect himself, visibly taking two deep breaths before he speaks again.

"This nickname thing has been bothering me," Zoro mumbles. Sanji raises an eyebrow. "I mean— I didn't think— um."

"Spit it out, dumbass," Sanji says, taking another long drag before putting his cigarette out. Zoro glares at him halfheartedly. 

"I didn't think about you like that until Usopp started with his dumb nicknames and then suddenly I couldn't stop thinking about you like that," Zoro says, all in a rush. "You and the stupid graceful way you move, whether it's cooking or fighting or just walking around the deck, and you're too kind and too soft but you don't let it stop you from protecting everyone and I just— I think I've been a little in love with you since you joined the crew and I just didn't realize it until now."

"Yeah, okay," Sanji says, and he pulls Zoro down for another kiss. They go slower this time. He doesn't hate the way Zoro seems to melt into it or chase his lips when Sanji pulls away. "Okay."

"'Okay,'" Zoro repeats. "'Okay,' like this is the part where you kick my ass, or—?"

"Idiot," Sanji mutters. He smiles, and it's only a little teasing. "Do I look like I'm gonna kick your ass?"

They're quiet for a moment, and Sanji takes the moment to sear the look of Zoro, flushed and embarrassed and unsure, into his memory.

"So this is gonna be a thing now?" Sanji asks. His eyes travel, leisurely, down Zoro's body, marvels at the idea of being allowed to look like this, of possibly being allowed to touch. "You and me?"

"If you want," Zoro says carefully. Sanji rolls his eyes.

"Get over here and kiss me, marimo." Zoro doesn't waste any time, back to his usual, confident self. He winds his fingers into Sanji's hair, carefully adjusting their positions. He pushes Sanji back until he's gotta arch out of the chair to keep kissing.

Sanji fists his hands into Zoro's shirt and uses him to pull himself out of the chair and shove his tongue down Zoro's throat. He tastes like the sea with a coppery tang of blood and metal and Sanji thinks he could get addicted to this. Zoro continues to push until Sanji feels the edge of the table digging into his hip before pulling away.

Zoro licks the blood off his lips and leaves a trail of open-mouthhed kisses down the uninjured side of Sanji's face.

"Fuck," Sanji hisses when the swordsman bites sharply into the meat of his shoulder. He can't help the way he bucks his hips, and his clothed erection brushes against Zoro's own. Zoro groans and presses back harder. He mouths at Sanji's neck while they both fumble with their pants. Zoro takes them both into hand once they've freed their cocks. It doesn't take long; both of them are already keyed up by their fight. Zoro comes with a growl, spilling himself over Sanji's shirt. Sanji takes Zoro's hand and tightens his grip around Sanji's dick and it only takes a few more strokes before he's coming, too.

"Gross," Sanji mutters, swiping a finger through the mess on his shirt. Zoro chuckles breathlessly into the crook of his neck. "Don't laugh, asshole. You're cleaner; go get me a new shirt."

Zoro grumbles at that, but he tucks himself back into his pants, shucks off his own filthy shirt, and struts out of the galley. Sanji fixes his own clothes to the best of his ability and nearly as soon as he finishes, there's a knock at the door.

"Is that you, cactus-head?" Sanji calls, opening the door before Zoro can answer. But it isn't Zoro at the door. Usopp takes a quick glance at Sanji's mussed hair, his bare chest under the suit jacket and the bruises Zoro left on his neck. He grins.

"You're welcome," he says. Sanji slams the door in his face.

**Author's Note:**

> by the way, if sanji and zoro are mom and dad, franky would be sanji's cousin who gets into a lot of fights but is very handy. robin is zoro's aunt who is into weird macabre stuff and pretends to be the voice of reason. nami is zoro's younger, more responsible sister who sanji had a crush on. luffy and usopp are zoro's kids from a previous relationship, and chopper is both of theirs. no one knows if brook is related to any of them or where he came from, he just showed up one day and never left.


End file.
